 The upgrade of the 165-kilometer road between Degahabur and the Regional capital, Jijiga, to an all-weather asphalt road was announced to be almost complete 31 October 2007, with the remaining 40 kilometers awaiting completion.Construction of a 106-kilometer asphalt road between Degehabur and the town of Shekosh was underway by March 2009.Local inhabitants constitute half of the 1,100 workers employed by the project.